The present invention relates to a picture processing device, which displays display objects composed of a plurality of elements (for example, polygons), a picture processing method, and a game device and storage medium using the same.
With the progress of computer graphics technology in recent years, picture processing devices, such as game devices and simulation devices, which are capable of displaying images in a three-dimensional space have been provided. Display objects (or characters) on displaying means are composed of polygons. Polygons herein used mean polygons (mainly triangles or quadrangles) which are made of an aggregate of plural vertexes.
A conventional picture processing device has limitations on the number of polygons handled by its central processing unit (CPU). Accordingly, a character located far away from a viewpoint is composed of a small number of polygons, while a character located close to the viewpoint is composed of a large number of polygons because the pattern and shape of the character have to be realized in detail (First Prior Art Example).
Moreover, a character in, for example, a soccer game is sometimes expressed with polygon data to which a texture mapping is applied. In this case, textures with players""numbers written for each different team uniform are prepared as many as the number of players (Second Prior Art Example).
Furthermore, in a conventional picture processing device, characters on a screen of displaying means are displayed with the same brightness regardless of the distance from a viewpoint (Third Prior Art Example).
In addition, when characters composed of polygons are displayed by a conventional picture processing device, a virtual viewpoint (or camera) is prepared in a three-dimensional coordinate system and an image of these characters taken by this viewpoint are displayed. In order to diversify the three-dimensional display of the characters, a plurality of cameras are prepared as in a game called xe2x80x9cVirtua Fighterxe2x80x9d and these cameras are switched to display the characters on the displaying means (Fourth Prior Art Example).
In the case of a game device (or picture processing device) of a soccer game, when a player which is a related display object turns around to protect a ball, which is a specific display object, and proceeds to the next action, it is necessary to operate an operation terminal in order to make the positions of the ball and the player coincide with each other (Fifth Prior Art Example).
Moreover, in the case of a conventional game device, details of general operations of an operation terminal are previously indicated on a housing (Sixth Prior Art Example).
In the First Prior Art Example, as explained above, a character far away from a viewpoint is always composed of a smaller number of polygons than those of a character close to the viewpoint. Accordingly, when a player (or character) which receives a pass in a soccer game attracts a game player""s attention, for example, if the player is far from the viewpoint and is a character composed of a small number of polygons, the player is expressed merely in a monotonous shape and pattern. With this type of game device, the game player""s attention is lowered and the game lacks a delicate taste. Such a game device is poorly attractive to consumers.
In the Second Prior Art Example, data with the aforementioned texture mapping applied should be prepared for all players. The priority of polygons is generally decided based on which polygon is located further back (in a z-axis direction). In this case, however, both the uniform and the player""s number are located at the same position. Therefore, it is impossible to always place the player""s number over the uniform with certainty by simply laying one over another. If a flag control is utilized to always set the player""s number over the uniform, even if the player faces front and the player""s number should not be seen, the player""s number is placed over the uniform. Accordingly, there is no way but to prepare a texture of the uniform with the player""s number written, knowing that the data volume will increase. This imposes a considerable computation load on CPU and, therefore, there is a possibility that the processing of CPU may be delayed, thereby diminishing a realistic excitement of a game. Otherwise, if a CPU capable of processing a large computation load is adopted, it costs too much.
In the Third Prior Art Example, since the characters are displayed with the same brightness regardless of the distance from a viewpoint, a game player cannot experience a feeling of far and near sufficiently.
In the Fourth Prior Art Example, even though there are a plurality of cameras, the positions of these cameras are fixed. Therefore, diversification of image expression cannot be fully achieved. Particularly, for a game such as a soccer game in which a player who takes control over a ball changes every moment and the superiority of the game accordingly changes in an instant, there is an disadvantage in that a full view of the game cannot be displayed effectively if the viewpoints are fixed.
In the Fifth Prior Art Example, a high-grade operation is required in order for a player to control a ball effectively.
For this purpose, a game player needs to become fully skillful in the operating means of the game. It is difficult for an unskillful game player to control the game in order to have a player control a ball tactfully.
In the Sixth Prior Art Example, it is impossible to indicate the content of all the operations on a housing, depending on the content. If the content of all the operations should be indicated on the housing, it is difficult for the game player to read and memorize it in advance.
In conclusion, any of the above prior art examples provides poorly interesting expressions of characters and the characters are expressed insufficiently in relation to the operational performance.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a picture processing device which is capable of richly expressing a displayed picture including the display objects (such as characters and background) of the above-described prior art examples, and of controlling the display objects diversely in relation to the operation.
A second object of the invention is to provide a picture processing device which is capable of realizing a detailed shape and pattern of a display object which attracts a game player""s attention even when the display object is far away from a viewpoint.
A third object of the invention is to provide a picture processing device which is capable of displaying many display objects with a small computation load.
A fourth object of the invention is to provide a picture processing device which is capable of realizing the far and near expression in a displayed picture effectively.
A fifth object of the invention is to provide a picture processing device which is capable of displaying a full view of the results of the picture processing effectively.
A sixth object of the invention is to provide a picture processing device which is capable of smoothly controlling and displaying the movement of a related display object in relation to a specific display object without any special skill required.
A seventh object of the invention is to provide a game device which is capable of giving only a minimum necessary description to a housing, and of displaying other operating methods of a operation terminal in an easily recognizable manner.
This invention is a picture processing device for expressing a display object by composing it of a plurality of elements, comprising:
picture processing means for changing the number of the elements according to the distance between a viewpoint and the display object and for projecting the display object in a three-dimensional space onto a plane on the basis of the viewpoint; and
element number changing means for changing the number of the elements which compose the display object when attributes of the display object far away from the viewpoint change.
According to this invention, the picture processing means decreases the number of the elements as the display object moves farther away from the viewpoint.
According to this invention, the element number changing means performs its processing when it determines that the display object has become the object of operation and, therefore, the attributes of the display object have changed.
According to this invention, the element number changing means comprises:
means for determining necessity of increase in the number of elements, which determines whether or not the number of the elements of the display object should be increased;
attribute determining means for determining whether or not the display object has become the object of operation; and
element number calculating means for calculating the necessary number of elements on the basis of the determination results of the attribute determining means.
According to this invention, the display objects comprise a plurality of first display objects and a second display object having some relationship with the plurality of first display objects in a three-dimensional space, and when the plurality of first display objects compete with each other for control over the second display object, the attribute determining means determines that one of the plurality of first display objects which has gain control over the second display object is the object of operation.
According to this invention, the attribute determining means comprises:
order determining means for determining the order on the basis of the distance between the plurality of first display objects and the second display object;
first control granting means for finding a moving direction of a first display object having the highest order among the plurality of first display objects and for granting control to the first display object when the first display object moves toward the second display object; and
second control granting means for granting control to a first display object having the second highest order among the plurality of first display objects when the first display object having the highest order is not moving toward the second display object.
This invention comprises attribute indicating means for giving a mark to the display object having control.
This invention comprises:
operating means for outputting operation signals to the display object; and
displaying means for displaying the display object.
This invention is a picture processing method for expressing a display object by composing it of a plurality of elements, comprising:
picture processing step of changing the number of the elements according to the distance between a viewpoint and the display object and of projecting the display object in a three-dimensional space onto a plane on the basis of the viewpoint; and
element number changing step of changing the number of the elements which compose the display object far away from the viewpoint when attributes of the display object change.
If a display object is displayed on the displaying means as if the display object is located far away from a viewpoint, for example, this invention increases the number of elements (for example, polygons) of the display object when the display object becomes the object of operation on the basis of operation signals sent from the operating means. Accordingly, the display object which attracts a game player""s attention begins to be expressed in detail at that time. Also, since the number of polygons of the display object which attracts the game player""s attention is increased, the expression of the displayed picture including the display object becomes rich and it is possible to control the display object in various situations in relation to the operation.
This invention is a picture processing device for expressing a display object by adding a plurality of mutually different elements, comprising:
common element applying means for expressing a part or all of a plurality of the displaying objects by using common elements;
individual element applying means for expressing the display objects by applying a plurality of individual elements, which are different from each other, respectively to the plurality of display objects expressed by the common element applying means; and
picture processing means for projecting the display objects expressed by the common element applying means and the individual element applying means, onto a plane on the basis of a viewpoint.
According to this invention, a part of the display object expressed by the common element applying means is missing and the individual element is set in this missing portion.
According to this invention, a plurality of the individual elements have respectively different patterns.
According to this invention, a plurality of the individual elements have respectively different shapes.
According to this invention, the individual element applying means applies and places plural types of individual elements one over another.
According to this invention, the types of the individual elements include a ground element, a pattern element and a number element.
This invention comprises:
operating means for outputting operation signals to the display object; and
displaying means for displaying the display object.
This invention is a picture processing method for expressing a display object by adding a plurality of mutually different elements, comprising:
common element applying step of expressing a part or all of a plurality of the displaying objects by using common elements;
individual element applying step of expressing the display objects by applying a plurality of individual elements, which are different from each other, respectively to the plurality of display objects expressed by the common element applying step; and
picture processing step of expecting picture processing to project the display objects expressed by the common element applying step and the individual element applying step, onto a plane on the basis of a viewpoint.
According to this invention, when the display objects have different patterns, a plurality of elements (for example, polygons) with respective patterns are prepared for such different pattern portions. Moreover, at least a part of the elements of the display objects, other than the pattern portions, is made common. By combining both portions to complete the display objects with different patterns, it is possible to produce with a small number of polygon data a picture of plural display objects having different patterns. Therefore, this invention makes it possible to display many display objects with a small computation load.
This invention is a picture processing device for expressing a display object by composing it of a plurality of elements, comprising:
picture processing means for projecting the display object in a three-dimensional space onto a plane on the basis of a viewpoint; and
coloring means for coloring the display object according to the situation of the display object.
According to this invention, the coloring means changes the color of the display object in accordance with the number of elements composing the display object.
According to this invention, the coloring means changes the color of the display object in accordance with the distance between the display object and the viewpoint.
According to this invention, the coloring means changes the color of the display object in accordance with the color of a background of the display object.
According to this invention, the coloring means changes color brightness.
This invention comprises:
operating means for outputting operation signals to the display object; and
displaying means for displaying the display object.
This invention is a picture processing method for expressing a display object by composing it of a plurality of elements, comprising:
picture processing step of projecting the display object in a three-dimensional space onto a plane on the basis of a viewpoint; and
coloring step of coloring the display object according to the situation of the display object.
This invention displays the display objects in a three-dimensional coordinate system on the displaying means on the basis of a viewpoint. At this point, the color of the display objects is changed according to the situation of the display objects. For example, the display object located close to the viewpoint on the displaying means is displayed with brighter color than that of the display object far away from the viewpoint. Thus, it is possible to give a strong feeling of near and close to the game player and to richly express the displayed picture including the display objects. In addition, since the displayed picture with rich expressions is realized, it becomes easy to control the display objects in various situations in relation to the operation.
This invention is a picture processing device for expressing a display object by composing it of a plurality of elements, comprising:
picture processing means for projecting the display object in a three-dimensional space onto a plane on the basis of a viewpoint; and
viewpoint position changing means for moving the position of the viewpoint.
According to this invention, the viewpoint position changing means moves the viewpoint closer to the display object when the display object attracts a user""s attention.
According to this invention, the viewpoint position changing means moves the viewpoint along at least two coordinate axes of the three-dimensional coordinate system.
This invention comprises:
operating means for outputting operation signals to the display object; and
displaying means for displaying the display object.
This invention is a picture processing method for expressing a display object by composing it of a plurality of elements, comprising:
picture processing step of projecting the display object in a three-dimensional space onto a plane on the basis of a viewpoint; and
viewpoint position changing step of moving the position of the viewpoint.
According to this invention, the picture processing means is provided with the viewpoint position changing means. This viewpoint position changing means is capable of moving the viewpoint along, for example, at least two coordinate axes of the three-dimensional coordinates, and of giving an angle to the viewpoint against a certain display object. If a display object is the ground (or background) of a soccer game, for example, movement of the viewpoint in two directions makes it possible to realize the position to move back and forth on the ground and the position with changing angles against the ground. Consequently, it is possible to display a full view of a game according to the circumstances of the game and to provide a game player with a highly realistic excitement. Moreover, it is possible to richly express the displayed picture including the display objects. Furthermore, since the rich expression of the displayed picture is realized, it becomes easy to control the display objects in various situations in relation to the operation.
This invention is a picture processing device for expressing a display object by composing it of a plurality of elements and for expressing a related display object in relation to the display object, comprising:
storage means for storing a plurality of forms given to the display object;
form processing means for realizing a plurality of forms, which are stored in the storage means, on the display object successively;
correcting means for correcting the form of the display object on the basis of the relationship with the related display object; and
picture processing means for projecting the display object, the form of which is corrected by the correcting means, onto a plane on the basis of a viewpoint.
According to this invention, the correcting means comprises:
first means for operating stop positions toward which the display object and the related display object respectively move; and
second means for controlling the form read out from the storage means so that the stop position of the related display object conform to the stop position of the display object.
According to this invention, the correcting means corrects the position or moving direction of the display object.
This invention comprises:
operating means for outputting operation signals to the display object; and
displaying means for displaying the display object.
This invention is a picture processing method for expressing a display object by composing it of a plurality of elements and for expressing a related display object in relation to the display object, comprising:
form processing step of realizing a plurality of forms, which have been previously given to the display objects, on the display object successively;
correcting step of correcting the form of the display object on the basis of the relationship with the related display object; and
picture processing step of projecting the display object, the form of which is corrected by the correcting means, onto a plane on the basis of a viewpoint.
This invention operates a stop position toward which the specific display object moves, makes the related display object conform to the operation results, and adjusts the movements of the related display object, for example, the movement amount on the screen in each scene of the movements, so that a series of movements of the related display object may be reproduced in order to preferably make the movements of the related display object correspond with the operation results. Accordingly, the stop position of the specific display object corresponds with the stop position of the related display object. Therefore, it is possible to control the related display object so that it smoothly moves in relation to the specific display object. Thus, it becomes easy to control the display objects in various situations in relation to the operation.
This invention is a game device, comprising:
operating means for operating a display object;
picture processing means for executing picture processing in accordance with operation signals sent from the operating means; and
displaying means for displaying the results of picture processing by the picture processing means,
wherein the game device comprises any of the above-described picture processing devices.
This invention is a game device, comprising:
operating means for operating a display object;
picture processing means for executing picture processing in accordance with operation signals sent from the operating means; and
displaying means for displaying the results of picture processing by the picture processing means,
wherein a description is previously indicated concerning a part of the operations of the operating means.
This game device further comprises operation content outputting means for displaying the content of operation on the displaying means when the picture processing executed by the picture processing means needs to perform the operation other than the operation concerning which the above-mentioned description is indicated.
According to this invention, the operation content outputting means displays the content of operation at a position not overlapping with the position of the display object which is to be operated.
According to this invention, when the operation, other than the operation concerning which a description about the picture processing to be executed by the picture processing means is indicated, is required, the content of such operation is indicated on a part of the displaying means. For example, in a special case such as throwing in a soccer game, the content of the operation for throwing is displayed on the displaying means. Operation terminals which can be used for this purpose and other details of the operation are indicated. Accordingly, the game player does not have to read all the descriptions before starting a game and can easily understand the operating method because a necessary description is indicated every time some operation is required. Moreover, since it is possible to display the display objects in various situations in relation to the operation, the displayed picture is expressed richly and it is possible to control the display objects in various situations in relation to the operation.
This invention is a storage medium for storing the procedures for having a processing device execute any of the above-described methods. This storage medium may include, for example, a floppy disk, magnetic tape, photomagnetic disk, CD-ROM, DVD, ROM cartridge, RAM cartridge with battery back-up, and nonvolatile RAM cartridge. The storage medium stores information (mainly digital data and programs) by some physical means and is capable of having a processing device such as computers and private processors perform a certain function.
In conclusion, any of the above inventions realizes very interesting expressions of characters and diversifies and enriches the expressions of characters in relation to the operational performance.